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Mr. Badger
"Nervous?"TheOttershowedagleamingsetofstrongwhiteteethashelaughed."I’dgive’emnervesifanyofthemtriedanythingonwithme.Here,Mole,frymesomeslicesofham,likethegoodlittlechapyouare.I’mfrightfullyhungry,andI’vegotanyamounttosaytoRattyhere.Haven’tseenhimforanage."
Sothegood-naturedMole,havingcutsomeslicesofham,setthehedgehogstofryit,andreturnedtohisownbreakfast,whiletheOtterandtheRat,theirheadstogether,eagerlytalkedriver-shop,whichislongshopandtalkthatisendless,runningonlikethebabblingriveritself.
Aplateoffriedhamhadjustbeenclearedandsentbackformore,whentheBadgerentered,yawningandrubbinghiseyes,andgreetedthemallinhisquiet,simpleway,withkindinquiriesforeveryone."Itmustbegettingonforluncheontime,"heremarkedtotheOtter."Betterstopandhaveitwithus.Youmustbehungry,thiscoldmorning."
"Rather!"repliedtheOtter,winkingattheMole."Thesightofthesegreedyyounghedgehogsstuffingthemselveswithfriedhammakesmefeelpositivelyfamished."
Thehedgehogs,whowerejustbeginningtofeelhungryagainaftertheirporridge,andafterworkingsohardattheirfrying,lookedtimidlyupatMr.Badger,butweretooshytosayanything.
"Here,youtwoyoungsters,beoffhometoyourmother,"saidtheBadgerkindly."I’llsendsomeonewithyoutoshowyoutheway.
